KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Georgette Gagnon, Political Deputy of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), met with Qatar’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Faisal bin Abdullah Al Henzab, to discuss preparations for the fourth round of Doha talks on Afghanistan.
According to Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting was held in Qatar on Friday. The two officials discussed recent developments in Afghanistan and preparations for the fourth international meeting, which will take place in Qatar under the auspices of the United Nations.
However, the ministry did not provide any details about the date, agenda, or participants of the upcoming talks.
The Doha process was initiated by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in May 2023, with the goal of establishing a unified international approach for engaging with the Taliban.
The third round of talks was held on June 30 and July 1 last year. Chaired by UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo, the meeting brought together special envoys from over 20 countries and a Taliban delegation led by spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid.
However, unlike earlier meetings, civil society and women’s representatives from Afghanistan were excluded from the third meeting, drawing strong criticism from activists, rights groups, and the UN Special Rapporteur, Richard Bennett.
The Taliban was not invited to the first round and boycotted the second after its demands for recognition as the sole representative of Afghanistan and a meeting with the UN chief were rejected.
It remains unclear whether civil society and women’s representatives will be included in the upcoming talks. Advocates continue to call for a more inclusive approach to shaping Afghanistan’s future.
